A photograph of the researcher on the invitation letter did not affect the participation rate of a postal survey: a randomized study within a trial (SWAT).
Enhancement strategies
Participation rate
Personalization
Recruitment
Study within a trial
Journal
BMC medical research methodology
ISSN: 1471-2288
Titre abrégé: BMC Med Res Methodol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100968545
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
24 09 2022
24 09 2022
Historique:
received:
19
04
2022
accepted:
24
08
2022
entrez:
24
9
2022
pubmed:
25
9
2022
medline:
28
9
2022
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Participant recruitment is one of the main challenges in research. It is suggested that including researcher photographs might increase participation rates, but empirical evidence is lacking. This study within a trial (SWAT) aims to assess whether invitation letters including researcher photographs increase the participation rate in the context of a survey on medical second opinions. Through 25 local register offices in Berlin and Brandenburg (Germany), we identified a random sample of 9990 persons. We randomly assigned our sample to the intervention group (IG) receiving an invitation letter with researcher photographs and control group (CG) receiving an invitation letter without photographs in a 1:1 ratio. Our primary outcome was the participation rate. Furthermore, we compared participants to non-participants' characteristics. Of 9990 invitations, 9797 could be delivered (IG: 4890, CG: 4907). Of these, 1349 (13.8%) participated. There were 682/4890 (13.9%) participants in the IG and 662/4907 (13.5%) in the CG with an odds ratio of 1.030 (95% confidence interval: 0.918-1.156). Additional analyses on non-participant characteristics did not show any differences. We could not find any difference in the participation rates. Our study does not confirm the results of previous studies. The length of our questionnaire may have affected our results. Queens University Belfast - SWAT Store, SWAT 104.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36153482
doi: 10.1186/s12874-022-01717-3
pii: 10.1186/s12874-022-01717-3
pmc: PMC9508740
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
249Informations de copyright
© 2022. The Author(s).
Références
Public Health Rep. 1982 Sep-Oct;97(5):465-9
pubmed: 7122824
BMC Health Serv Res. 2006 Sep 05;6:111
pubmed: 16953871
BMC Health Serv Res. 2022 Jan 15;22(1):76
pubmed: 35033078
BMC Med Res Methodol. 2011 May 06;11:62
pubmed: 21548947
BMJ Open. 2021 Feb 10;11(2):e045264
pubmed: 33568378
Eur J Health Econ. 2012 Dec;13(6):789-99
pubmed: 21691841
Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 2016 Jul;66(7):280-2
pubmed: 27388870
Stat Med. 1986 Nov-Dec;5(6):607-17
pubmed: 3823668
Eur J Public Health. 2015 Feb;25(1):156-61
pubmed: 24855288
Trials. 2013 Jun 09;14:166
pubmed: 23758961
Public Opin Q. 2000 Fall;64(3):299-308
pubmed: 11114270
Br J Gen Pract. 2000 Jun;50(455):479-80
pubmed: 10962788
Trials. 2014 Jan 23;15:32
pubmed: 24456928
Med Teach. 2016;38(3):217-28
pubmed: 26648511
BMJ Open. 2012 Sep 04;2(5):
pubmed: 22952162
J Clin Epidemiol. 2005 Jan;58(1):103-5
pubmed: 15649678
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jul 08;(3):MR000008
pubmed: 19588449
Psychol Rep. 2000 Jun;86(3 Pt 2):1226-8
pubmed: 10932585